Waltharius1280Scansion

The fight begins and continues for seven hours; Gunther foolishly tries to retrieve a thrown spear from the ground near Walther and is only saved from death by Hagen’s brave intervention (1280–1345)

Dīxĭt ĕt ā tērgō sāltū sē iēcĭt ĕquīnō	1280	DSSSDS
Hōc ēt Gūnthărĭūs nēc sēgnĭŏr ēgĕrăt hērōs		SDSDDS
Wālthărĭūs cūnctī pĕdĭtēs bēllārĕ părātī		DSDSDS
Stābāt quīsquɇ āc vēntūrō sē prōvĭdŭs īctū		SSSSDS
Praēstrūxīt trĕpĭdānt sūb pēltīs Mārtĭă mēmbră		SDSSDS
Hōră sĕcūndă fŭīt quā trēs hī cōngrĕdĭūntŭr	1285	DDSSDS
Ādvērsūs sōlūm cōnspīrānt ārmă dŭōrŭm		SSSSDS
Prīmūs mālĭgĕrām cōllēctīs vīrĭbŭs hāstăm		SDSSDS
Dīrēxīt Hăgănō dīsrūptā pācĕ sĕd īllăm		SDSSDS
Tūrbĭnĕ tērrĭbĭlēm tāntø ēt strīdōrĕ vŏlāntĕm		DDSSDS
Ālphărĭdēs sēmēt cērnēns tŏlĕrārĕ nĕquīrĕ	1290	DSSDDS
Sōllērs ōblīquī dēlūsīt tēgmĭnĕ scūtī		SSSSDS
Nām vĕnĭēns clĭpĕō sīc ēst ceū mārmŏrĕ lēvī		DDSSDS
Ēxcūssⱥ ēt cōllēm vĕhĕmēntēr saūcĭăt ūsquĕ		SSDSDS
Ād clāvōs īnfīxă sŏlō Tūnc pēctŏrĕ māgnō		SSDSDS
Sēd mŏdĭcā vī frāxĭnĕūm hāstīlĕ sŭpērbŭs	1295	DSDSDS
Iēcīt Gūnthărĭūs vŏlĭtāns quŏd ădhaēsĭt ĭn īmā		SDDDDS
Wālthărĭī pārmā quām mōx dūm cōncŭtĭt īpsĕ		DSSSDS
Ēxcĭdĭt īgnāvūm dē līgnī vūlnĕrĕ fērrŭm		DSSSDS
Ōmĭnĕ quō maēstī cōnfūsō pēctŏrĕ Frāncī		DSSSDS
Mōx strīngūnt ăcĭēs dŏlŏr ēst cōnversŭs ăd īrās	1300	SDDSDS
Ēt tēctī clĭpĕīs Ăquĭtānᵾm īnvādĕrĕ cērtānt		SDDSDS
Strēnnŭŭs īllĕ tămēn vī cūspĭdĭs ēxpŭlĭt īllōs		DDSDDS
Ātquɇ īncūrsāntēs vūltū tērrēbăt ĕt ārmīs		SSSSDS
Hīc rēx Gūnthărĭūs coēptūm mĕdĭtātŭr ĭnēptŭm		SDSDDS
Scīlĭcĕt ūt iāctām frūstrā tērraēquĕ rĕlāpsăm	1305	DSSSDS
Āntĕ pĕdēs hērōĭs ĕnīm dīvūlsă iăcēbăt		DSDSDS
Āccēdēns tăcĭtē fūrtīm sūstōllĕrĕt hāstăm		SDSSDS
Quāndŏquĭdēm brĕvĭbūs glădĭōrūm dēnĭquĕ tēlīs		DDDSDS
Ārmātī nĕquĕūnt āccēdĕrĕ cōmmĭnŭs īllī		SDSDDS
Quī tām pōrrēctūm tōrquēbāt cūspĭdĭs īctŭm	1310	SSSSDS
Īnnŭĭt ērgø ŏcŭlīs vāssūm praēcēdĕrĕ suādēns		DDSSDS
Cuīūs dēfēnsū caūsām sūpplērĕ vălērĕt		SSSSDS
Nēc mŏră prōgrĕdĭtūr Hăgănōn āc prōvŏcăt hōstĕm		DDDSDS
Rēx quŏquĕ gēmmātūm vāgīnaē cōndĭdĭt ēnsĕm		DSSSDS
Ēxpĕdĭēns dēxtrām fūrtø āctūtūm făcĭēndō	1315	DSSSDS
Sēd quīd plūră mănūm prōnūs trānsmīsĭt ĭn hāstăm		SDSSDS
Ēt iām cōmprēnsām sēnsīm sūbtrāxĕrăt īllăm		SSSSDS
Fōrtūnaē maīōră pĕtēns sēd māxĭmŭs hērōs		SSDSDS
Ūtpŏtĕ quī bēllō sēmpēr sāt prōvĭdŭs ēssĕt		DSSSDS
Praētĕr ĕt ūnīūs pūnctūm caūtīssĭmŭs hōraē	1320	DSSSDS
Hūnc īnclīnārī cērnēns pērsēnsĕrăt āctŭm		SSSSDS
Nēc tŭlĭt ōbstāntēm sēd mōx Hăgănōnă rĕvēllēns		DSSDDS
Dēnĭquĕ sūblātō quī dīvērtēbăt ăb īctū		DSSSDS
Īnsĭlĭt ēt plāntā dīrēptᵾm hāstīlĕ rĕtēntăt		DSSSDS
Āc rēgēm fūrtō cāptūm sīc īncrĕpĭtāvĭt	1325	SSSSDS
Ūt iām pērcūlsō sūb cūspĭdĕ gēnvă lăbārēnt		SSSDDS
Quēm quŏquĕ cōntĭnŭø ēsŭrĭēntī pōrgĕrĕt Ōrcō		DDDSDS
Nī Hăgănø ārmĭpŏtēns cĭtĭūs sūccūrrĕrĕt ātquĕ		DDDSDS
Ōbiēctō dŏmĭnūm scūtō mūnīrĕt ĕt hōstī		SDSSDS
Nūdⱥm ăcĭēm saēvī mūcrōnĭs ĭn ōră tŭlīssĕt	1330	DSSDDS
Sīc dūm Wālthărĭūs vūlnūs căvĕt īllĕ rĕsūrgĭt		SDSDDS
Ātquĕ trĕmēns stŭdĭūsquĕ stĕtīt vīx mōrtĕ rĕvērsŭs		DDDSDS
Nēc mŏră nēc rĕquĭēs bēllᵾm īnstaūrātŭr ămārŭm		DDSSDS
Īncūrrūnt hŏmĭnēm nūnc āmbō nūncquĕ vĭcīssĭm		SDSSDS
Ēt dūm prōgrēssō sɇ īmpēndĕrĕt ācrĭŭs ūnī	1335	SSSDDS
Ēn dē pārtɇ ălĭā sŭbĭt āltĕr ĕt īmpĕdĭt īctŭm		SDDDDS
Haūd ălĭtēr Nŭmĭdūs quām dūm vēnābĭtŭr ūrsŭs		DDSSDS
Ēt cănĭbūs cīrcūmdătŭs āstăt ĕt ārtŭbŭs hōrrĕt		DSDDDS
Ēt căpŭt ōccūltāns sūbmūrmŭrăt āc prŏpĭāntēs		DSSDDS
Āmplēxāns Ūmbrōs mĭsĕrūm mūtīrĕ cŏārtăt	1340	SSDSDS
Tūm răbĭdī cīrcūmlātrānt hīnc īndĕ Mŏlōssī		DSSSDS
Cōmmĭnŭs āc dīraē mĕtŭūnt āccēdĕrĕ bēlvaē		DSDSDS
Tālĭtĕr īn nōnām cōnflīctūs flūxĕrăt hōrăm		DSSSDS
Ēt trīplēx cūnctīs ĭnĕrāt măcĕrātĭŏ lētī		SSDDDS
Tērrŏr ĕt īpsĕ lăbōr bēllāndī sōlĭs ĕt ārdŏr	1345	DDSSDS

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Prologue 1–12: Introduction: the Huns 13–418: The Huns 13–33: The Franks under Gibich surrender to Attila, giving Hagen as a hostage 34–74: The Burgundians under Hereric surrender to Attila, giving Hildegund as a hostage 75–92: The Aquitainians under Alphere surrender to Attila, giving Walther as a hostage 93–115: Experience of the hostages at Attila’s court 116–122: Death of Gibich, flight of Hagen 123–141: Attila’s queen Ospirin advises her husband to ensure Walther’s loyalty by arranging a marriage 142–169: Walther rejects Attila’s offer of a bride 170–214: Walther leads the army of the Huns to victory in battle 215–418: The Escape 215–255: Walther returns from battle and encounters Hildegund 256–286: Walther reveals to Hildegund his plans for escaping with Attila’s treasure 287–323: Walther hosts a luxurious banquet for Attila’s court; eventually all his intoxicated guests fall asleep 324–357: Flight of Walther and Hildegund from Attila’s court 358–379: The following day, the escape of Walther and Hildegund is discovered by Ospirin 380–418: Attila is infuriated and vows revenge on Walther, but can find no one willing to dare to pursue him, even for a large reward 419–1061: The Single Combats 419–639: Diplomacy 419–435: Flight of Walther and Hildegund to the area of Worms 436–488: Gunther, King of the Franks, learns of Walther’s presence on his territory and, despite Hagen’s warnings, decides to pursue him for his treasure 489–512: Walther makes his camp in a mountainous area and goes to sleep 513–531: Gunther and his companions approach Walther’s camp; Hagen unsuccessfully tries to dissuade the king from attacking it 532–571: Hildegund sees the Franks approaching and wakes Walther, who calms her fears and prepares for battle; he recognizes Hagen from a distance 572–580: Hagen persuades Gunther to try diplomacy before using force 581–616: Camalo is sent as a messenger to Walther, who offers to make Gunther a gift in return for allowing his passage 617–639: Hagen counsels Gunther to accept the offer, but Gunther rejects this advice, calling him a coward. Insulted, Hagen goes off to a nearby hill 640–1061: Combat 640–685: 1st single combat. Camalo is sent back to Walther, who slays him 686–719: 2nd single combat. Walther slays Kimo/Scaramund, Camalo’s nephew 720–724: Gunther encourages his men 725–753: 3rd single combat. Walther slays Werinhard, a descendant of the Trojan Pandarus 754–780: 4th single combat. Walther slays the Saxon Ekivrid, after an exchange of insults 781–845: 5th single combat. Walther slays Hadawart, after an exchange of insults 846–877. Hagen sees his nephew Patavrid going off to fight Walther and laments the evil wreaked on mankind by greed 878–913. 6th single combat. After trying to dissuade him from fighting, Walther slays Patavrid 914–940: 7th single combat. Walther slays Gerwitus 941–961: Gunther again encourages his men, giving Walther some time to rest 962–981. 8th single combat. Walther is shorn of his hair by Randolf, whom he then slays 982–1061. Walther is attacked by Eleuthir/Helmnot, assisted by Trogus, Tanastus, and Gunther; he slays all but Gunther 1062–1452: The Final Combat 1062–1088: Gunther tries to persuade Hagen to help him to defeat Waltharius; remembering his wounded honor, Hagen refuses 1089–1129: Hagen changes his mind and agrees to help Gunther, but advises that they must lie low wait until Walther comes down from the mountains into open ground 1130–1187: Walther decides to spend the night in the mountains. He rematches the severed heads with the bodies of his victims, prays for their souls, then sleeps 1188–1207: The following day, Walther and Hildegund set out from the mountains, taking the horses and arms of the defeated warriors 1208–1236: Hildegund perceives Gunther and Hagen approaching to attack; the king addresses Walther 1237–1279: Walther ignores Gunther and pleads with Hagen to remember the bond of their childhood friendship; Hagen counters that Walther has already broken their faith by slaying Patavrid 1280–1345: The fight begins and continues for seven hours; Gunther foolishly tries to retrieve a thrown spear from the ground near Walther and is only saved from death by Hagen’s brave intervention 1346–1375: Walther challenges Hagen; he severs Gunther’s leg, but Hagen again saves the king’s life 1376–1395: Hagen cuts off Walther’s right hand; Walther gouges out one of Hagen’s eyes and, cutting open his cheek, knocks out four teeth 1396–1442: Having wounded each other, the warriors end the battle, drink together, and engage in a friendly exchange of humorous taunt 1443–1452: The warriors return to their respective homes; Walther marries Hildegund and eventually becomes king of the Aquitainians 1453–1456: Epilogue

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